Toy horse.



W. F. HOLMES.

TOY HORSE.

AYPLIOATIQN FILED AUG. 12, 1913.

,lQQfiQQ. f Patented Dec. 29,1914, I

UNITED snares PATENT curren- WILLIAM F. HOLMES, F BROCK'I'ON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ro'Y nonsn Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Deal 29, 1914.

' I Application filed August 12,1913, Ser1a1No.'784,889.--

To'aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. Honazns, citizen of the United States,- residing at 'Brockton, in thecountyof Plymouth and State of'Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Toy I orses, of which the following is a specification,

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements intoys, and has particular reference to that type of such devices known as hobby horses.

As, its principal object, this invention con- ,tcmplates the provision of a miniature be removed and the horse which is mounted on two disk wheels,

and is adapted to be straddled by achild,

bicycle.

A yet further, object is to construct the device of this invention with such regard to number, parts that it may be cheaply manufactured and will be durable'and efficient in its action.

The above and: additional objects are accomplished by such'means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claim WlllCh is appended hereto and forms a partof this application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment elevation illustrating 'spectiveview v ing particularly the plates employed 1n detachably connecting the'head to the steering of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate cor responding parts, Figure lis a side. elevation with the head and body portions of the device in assembled relation; Fig. 2 is a SldB thehead member in detached position; Fig.3 is a. detail per 4 of the head member, illustratcolumn; and Fig. 4 is a. detail view in rear entirety the body I and 12, there proportion and arrangement of' upper terminal.

elevation of the-steering columnin disassembled position.

Proceeding now drawings, the numeral 10 designates asan portion of the toy horse which is formed in two hingedly connected sections, respectively designated by the numerals Hand 12. The member 11 constitntes the main body portion of the animal to the description of the i trunk, while the member 12comprises the head portion, as;will bereadily observed upon reference to Fig. 2 particularly.-

In hingingly connecting the members 11 has been provided a'steering column 13 which consists essentially-inc,

'wooden'bar or rod..14. The forward terminal of the member 11 is equipped 'with a,-

hinge rod 15, thefends of which are journaled 1n the apertured-ar-ms 1,6 and 1 7 of a U-shaped hinge plate 18 which is bolted or otherwisetsecured in any desired manner to the rearface of the steering rod. The head P'OItlOIl 12 1s detachably secured to the forwardly disposed face of umn by means of a plate lowcr end of the member additional platesi20 and 21 the upper portion of the 19 extends beyond the rear edge oithe member 12 and is equipped withan aperture. adapted to fit over a downwardlyextending the steering colcarried adjacent steering column. The plates 20 and 21 late bolted or otherwise secured in any desired manner to opposite sides of the neck portion of the member. 12 and extend rearwardly neck. The plate 1 80 I 19 carried atthe I 12 and 'a-pair of pin 22 'mounted'in the lower terminal of the thcreofibeing terminally apertured to re-- ceive a pin or red 23 vcrsely of the steering column adjacent its The member 23 is preferably formed with a head 24 and a threaded shank 25 which latter is adapted to be prowhich is carried transjectcd beyond the plate 20 to receive a'nut' 26, which obviously prevents the accidental displacement of the pin,,but, at the same time, provides for the complete removal of the head portion 12 from the steering column so that the trunkportion 11, may be employed as a bicycle. Inthis connection, it is to be noted that a ms, pair of wheels 27 1 and 28 are respectively carried'by the'steen ing column and the rear terminal of the' member 11. The wheel spindle-29 which is mounted on the lower terminals of, a'pair of fork bars 30 and 31 bolted "or otherwise secured as may be de- 27 is journa'led on a ployed as a toy .on which the wheel l ing column.

' that'there has been provided atoy sired "was bpposite faces of the steering 1 column; A pair of rear forkbars, one 'of which is indicated at 32, is'secured. to the member 11 adjacent its rearterminal and carry at their lower terminalsa spindle 34:

28 is mounted. "A saddle 35 may be secured in any desired manner to the back portion of the member 1.1, and may beof any desired an suitable design. a As will be observed, a handle bar-E56 is carried by the upper terminal of the steer- A pair of-rei'ns may be provided, as indicated at 37. I

The actual construction and arrangement of the several parts of the device being'thus disclosed, it now remains to describe the manner in'which the toy is used. The user of the device straddles the trunkportion 11 which is preferably supported from the ground or floor such a distance'as to permit the average childsfeet to bear on the supporting surface. By imitating a walking motion, thechlld may propel the device in a well known manner, and may .steerthe horse by r'nz'rnipulating the handle It desirable to again call attention to th'e'fact that the head portion 12 may be detached from the steering colunm,-and the remaining portion of the structure- -embicycle adaptable for use indoors.

. It is obvious, of course, that the body portion of the device may be made in imitation of a giraffe, camel or .anyother anirna'l as well as a horse, without. departing in any way from thc'main principles of this invention which include boardly the provisionof a two piece body hingedly connecte dand having the head portion detachably secured to a steering column.

From the foregoing, 't will be observed which is simple in its construction and may, therefore, be cheaply manufactured. It is tobe further noted that this device has been found particularly eflicient in teaching. chil- .dren to learn-to walk, become accustomed to using their limbs without having the entire weight of their bodies supported thereby,

It hasbeen feund desirable in some in stancesto adjustably secure the fork arms and; wheelsi1 i27' and28 respectively to the of the device is. spaced from the ground "shifting the fork-arms on the body ber and having inasmuch as they steering member 1i and bodyhrieinbei' 11 by means of removable bolts 39. By employing removable-bolts, i-t'is of course possible to'varythe height at which the body and will steering column, in amanner'wh'ic beapparent upon reference to either Figs. 4

In reduction to practice,

yet realizing that the conditions, concurrent device will neceswith the adoption of 'my sarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of arts may be resorted to, when required, wit iout sacrificing any of the advantages of my. invention, as defined in the appended claim. i What I claim is:

In a device of the character described, a body member, ,a separate head portion, a steering post interposed between the head and body portions, a substantially U-shaped hinge plate securedto the steering post and pivoted at the forward terminal of the body member, a pair of terminally apertured plates secured to opposite sides of the steering post, an'attaching plate secured tov portion of the head memits terminal extending beyond the rear edge thereof, said extending terminal being apertured, a stud carried by the lower terminal of the steering post and receivable within the aperture of the lastmentioned attachingplate, a pair ofwheels, and fork arms securing the wheels to the body member and steering )ost.

'In testimony whereof I ailix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. HOLMES.

V Witnesses 4 H. P. DALTON, J. N. BALLERIN.

the lower edge [11. s] a i I I have found that the form of my invention,illustrated to in the head I member, the apertured terminals of the 

